Nets star Brook Lopez and four teammates came to their future home borough today to dish out 1,100 toys for Brooklyn children.
Lopez and teammates Derrick Favors, Damion James, Ben Uzoh, Quinton Ross, Stephen Graham, and Joe Smith gathered at Brooklyn Borough Hall for a holiday party where they helped distribute toys for needy children from five Salvation Army community centers in Brooklyn.
“We really appreciate being part of such a meaningful event in Brooklyn and celebrating the holidays with the kids,” said Lopez. “We hope these toys bring a smile to their faces and we wish them the best this Holiday season.”
The toys were donated by the Barclays/Nets Community Alliance, which includes a partnership among Barclays, the Nets and Forest City Ratner Companies. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and representatives of The Salvation Army and National Grid also attended the event.
“Every year during the Holiday season we celebrate and are thankful for what we have,” said developer Bruce Ratner, chairman and CEO of Forest City Ratner Companies. “There is no better way to do this than by remembering and helping those who are less fortunate.”
“Again this year, I am proud that our soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets are scoring a real ‘three pointer’ by providing more than 1,100 toys for children,” said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.
In addition to the toys that were distributed at the event, the Barclays/Nets Community Alliance donated toys to Brooklyn youngsters at Salvation Army centers in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Brownsville, Bay Ridge, and Sunset Park.
This is the third consecutive year that toys are being donated under the Barclays/Nets Community Alliance.
The Nets are expected to relocate to the Barclays Center in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn for the 2012-13 NBA season.